Breath of Scandal(134)
"Where?" "The Parker farm." "I don't know."
"Oh. I've seen her out there and thought she might have mentioned it."
"I know she's buying property for her company," Graham offered, trying to be helpful.
"She's a regular go-getter, isn't she?"
Taking that as a compliment, Graham responded with a happy smile. "She sure is."
When they reached the garage, a man in greasy overalls sauntered out to greet them. He smiled at Mr. Patchett, revealing three snuff-stained teeth. While he fixed the flat, he invited them to wait inside the office, where it was cool.
Graham followed Neal into the cluttered office. It was Only marginally cooler than outside and reeked of an overflowing ashtray, axle grease, and motor oil. Graham would have found it unpleasant if he hadn't been stupefied by the glowingly naked girl on the wall calendar. He hadn't realized that nipples could be that big and red, or pubic hair dMt lush and dark.
"There's the phone if you want to call your mother."
374
Sandra Braum
Breath of Scandal
375
Graham wasn't actually doing anything wrong, but he felt too iniquitous to speak to his mother right then. Besides, he didn't want Neal Patchett, who was supercool, to think he was a geek.
" Naw - It's cool -
Neal kissed his fingers and patted the calendar girl's round behind. I I She's something, isn't she? When I was your age, I used to come here just so I could ogle the calendars - Later, I bought my rubbers here. Quicker than the drugstore, YOU know. There's a vending machine in the bathroom yonder if you ever need some in a hurry."
Speechless, Graham tore his eyes away from the calendar to gape at Neal.
"YOU know what rubbers are, don't you, boY9Graham nodded stupidly, then cleared his throat and his vision, and said, "Hell, yes, I know what rubbers are."
-I figured you must. How old are you anyhow?"
it was flattering that Mr, Patchett talked to him as one man to another. Proudly, he stated, "I'll be fifteen my next birthday
"And when's that?"
"November twenty-seventh." wide Neal gazed at him for a moment, then broke into a smile. "Around Thanksgiving,"
,,It,s on Thanksgiving every seven years."
"Imagine that. Well, what'll you have to drink?" He opened a cold-drink machine, the likes of which Graham had never seen before. it was a chest of refrigerated air. The bottles stood in rows formed by a metal grid.
Neal banged on the drawer of the cash register, and it flew open. He scooped out a handful of coins. Graham stared down at the money, then nervously glanced through the window. "Won't he mind?"
,,He Owes my daddy too many favors to mind. Don't worry about it. What'll you have to drink?"
Graham looked for something familiar among the rows of bottle caps. "Do they have Dr. Pepper?"
"Dr. Pepper? Doesn't look like it. Grapette, Orange Nehi, Big Red, and Chocolate Soldier."
"Chocolate Soldier? What's that?"
"Are you telling me that you've reached the ripe old age of fourteen without ever drinking a Chocolate Soldier?" Neal's incredulity made Graham feel gauche, yet self-
defensive. "In New York we drank egg cremes. You buy them from street vendors. "
Neal pushed two quarters into the money slot. "Egg crem0 Now if that doesn't sound Re something a Yankee would drink, I'll pay for lying."
The Chocolate Soldier was delicious. Mr. Patchett offered to treat him to another, but he declined. He was worried about the time. "How much longer do you think it'll be before the flat is fixed?"
"Looks like he's finishing up now." Neal opened the door for him and they moved into the service bay. Graham was relieved that they would soon be on their
way. "I'm supposed to be there by now. If I'm late, my mom gets mad."
"Well," Neal drawled, "you know how women are. They get their panties in a wad over the least little thing." Companionably, he clapped Graham on the shoulder.
"Stop giving me the same tired excuses you give your other clients." Jade smiled into the telephone receiver. "When will you have something to show me?"
"You should know better than to pressure an artist," Hank Arnett said. "Pressure stifles creativity."
"When? I don't want to take the proposal to our friend George until I can bowl him over with your drawings." Jade's plans to buy the plantation house for GSS were
still in place. Hours had been spent on long-distance phone calls to Hank. He had Red the idea from the outset, but said he couldn't commit himself until he saw pictures of what he had to work with. Jade had made arrangements with the realtor to get inside the house. The Polaroids she had taken were currently with Hank. He claimed to be toying with some ideas. She was impatient to see them.
"In all modesty, a few of my watercolors would be a
376
Sandra Brown
persuasive bonus," he conceded. "As you know, George is crazy about my stuff."
"So get off your duff and do them." "Give me two more weeks."